Irvin David Ungar
1200 Edgehill Drive
Burlingame, CA 94010
Ph: 650-343-9588 Fax: 650-579-6014
Email: ungar@historicana.com

WORK EXPERIENCE
2000 - Present: Curator, The Arthur Szyk Society,
1987-Present: Founder and CEO, Historicana, Burlingame, California
1980-87: Rabbi, Peninsula Temple Sholom, Burlingame, California
1974-80: Rabbi, Temple Sinai, Forest Hills, New York

EDUCATION
M.A (Sacred Theology), New York Theological Seminary, NY, 1977
Pastoral Counseling Degree, Post Graduate Center for Mental Health, NY, 1977
M.A. (Education), New York University, 1974
Rabbinic Ordination, Academy for Jewish Religion, NY, 1974
B.A. (Math/Economics), Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA, 1970

EXHIBITIONS
ARTHUR SZYK

  • Guest Curator, "Arthur Szyk - Drawing Against National Socialism and Terror" Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, Germany, August 2008 - January 2009
  • Curator for the "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk" Traveling Exhibition Program, The Arthur Szyk Society, 2001- Present
  • Consultant, "The Art and Politics of Arthur Szyk" United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC, April - October, 2002
  • Visiting Curator, "Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom" Library of Congress, Washington, DC, Dec 1999 - May 2000
  • Curator, "Washington & His Times" Burlingame Public Library, Burlingame, CA, Feb - March, 2000
  • Curator, "Arthur Szyk: Manuscript Illuminator, Political Artist, and Advocate for Humanity" University Art Gallery, University of Scranton, PA, Nov 1999 - Feb 2000
  • Curator, "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk" Spertus Museum, Chicago, IL, Aug 1998 - Feb 1999
JUDAICA
  • Curator, "The Cartographer's Vision: 400 Years of Holy Land Maps" Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley, CA, May - Sept 1988
LECTURES/ADDRESSES
ARTHUR SZYK
  • Lecture, "Freedom Illuminated: Understanding the Arthur Szyk Haggadah," Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley, CA, April 13, 2008
  • Lecture, "Freedom Illuminated: Understanding the Arthur Szyk Haggadah," BJE Jewish Community Library, San Francisco, CA, April 10, 2008
  • Scholar-in-Residence, Congregation Har Shalom, Potomac, MD, March 17-19, 2006
  • Opening Address, "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk," Center for Jewish Culture, Krakow, Poland, October 24, 2005
  • Lecture, "Fabric of America," Facing History and Ourselves Teachers' Seminar, Oakland, CA, August 4, 2005
  • Opening Address, "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk," Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw, Poland, June 30, 2005
  • Lecture, "Arthur Szyk and the Illustrated Book," Association of Jewish Librarians Convention, Oakland, CA, June 21, 2005
  • Lecture, "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk," Facing History and Ourselves Teachers' Seminar, San Francisco, August 6, 2004
  • Opening Address, "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk" Burlingame Public Library, Burlingame, CA, Feb 3, 2000
  • Keynote Address, "Arthur Szyk: Manuscript Illuminator, Political Artist, and Advocate for Humanity" University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, Jan 9, 2000
  • Keynote Address, "Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom" Library of Congress, Dec 8, 1999
  • Keynote Address, "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk" Spertus Museum, Chicago, Aug 16, 1998
  • Lecture, "Arthur Szyk, His Life and Art" Center for Jewish Art, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, June 3, 1994
JUDAICA
  • Scholar-in-Residence, Congregation B'nai Zion, El Paso, TX, December 8-10, 2006
  • Scholar-in-Residence, Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Mateo, CA September 8-10, 2006
  • Scholar-in-Residence, Congregation Har Shalom, Potomac, MD, March 17-19, 2006
  • Lecture, "Arthur Szyk and the Illustrated Book," Association of Jewish Librarians Convention, Oakland, CA, June 21, 2005
  • Lecture, "Building an American Judaica Collection," Association of Jewish Librarians Convention, Brooklyn, NY, June 22, 2004
  • Lecture, "The Art and Evolution of the Illustrated Jewish Book, Jewish Community Library, San Francisco, CA, Nov 10, 1991
  • Keynote Address, "A Cartographic Pilgrimage through the Holy Land" Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley, CA, June 26, 1988
  • Lecture, "Torah and analytical comparisons of Aseret ha Dibrot within the Pentateuch" Simpson College, San Francisco, CA, Dec 11, 1985
PUBLICATIONS/BROADCAST
BOOKS
ARTHUR SZYK
  • The New Edition of The Szyk Haggadah, and its companion volume, Freedom Illuminated, Understanding The Szyk Haggadah, Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 2008
  • Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk, Chicago: Spertus Institute for Jewish Studies, 1998
JUDAICA
  • Long Live the Land of the Free: A Chronology of Jewish Life in the Americas, Highlighting 350 Years of Jews in the United States, Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 2004*
  • American Judaica: Books, pamphlets, documents, letters, prints by and about Jews in America, Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 1998*
  • The Birth of a Nation: The Jewish People and The Land of Israel, Zion Anniversary Catalogue, Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 1997*
  • Collector's Haggadah Catalogue, Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 1994*
  • Rabbinic Alumni Journal, New York: Academy for Jewish Religion, 1987

*Catalogue

ARTICLES
ARTHUR SZYK

  • "Telling the Story: A History of The Szyk Haggadah" in Freedom Illuminated: Understanding The Szyk Haggadah, Burlingame CA: 2008
  • "Szyk's Haggadah: A Timeless Call for Freedom" Washington Jewish Week, Washington, DC, April 20, 2000
  • "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk" [co-authored with Joseph P. Ansell] Biblio Magazine, Eugene, OR, Feb 1999
  • "The Civil Rights Art of Arthur Szyk" by Paul Von Blum, The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA. 2006*
  • "Democracy's Weapon: Arthur Szyk in America" by Harry Katz. The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA. 2005*
  • "Calling Out From the Depths: Arthur Szyk's ÔDe Profundis' and Holocaust Protest in the United States" by Darlene Miller-Lanning. The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA. 2004*
  • Newsletters of The Arthur Szyk Society, 1998-Present*
*Edited by Irvin Ungar

JUDAICA

  • "The Kibbutz Haggadah: A Record of Jewish Life In Modern Times" AB Bookman's Weekly, NJ, April 1, 1991
  • "Memorial for the 248 Soldiers of the 101st Airborne: A Jewish Response" The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, Jan 3, 1986
  • "When Your Child Asks About God" Pedagogic Reporter, NY, Oct 1986
  • "When Your Child Asks About God" Peninsula Parent, San Mateo, CA, Nov 1985
  • "From Slavery to Freedom" Reform Judaism, NY, Fall 1985
  • "A Bargain with God" Reform Judaism, NY, Summer, 1984
  • "Jewish opinion on voluntary school prayer" San Mateo Times, San Mateo, CA, Jan 29, 1983
  • "Rabbi on Skokie: Those who understand will understand" San Mateo Times, CA, Nov 21, 1981
  • "The Moral Majority: The impact of Ôreligious rightists'"San Mateo Times, CA, Dec 6, 1980
Radio, Television, Film Appearances
ARTHUR SZYK
  • In Every Generation: Remaking the Szyk Haggadah, Directed by Jim Ruxin, JKR Productions, produced by Irvin Ungar/HISTORICANA and Jim Ruxin, JKR Productions, 2008
  • Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art. Directed by Jim Ruxin, JKR Productions, produced by Irvin Ungar/HISTORICANA and Jim Ruxin, JKR Productions. 2006
  • Arthur Szyk: Illuminator. Marta TV in conjunction with Polish TV, released July 2005 and scheduled for Polish TV in fall 2005
  • Arthur Szyk's Earliest Cartoons. History Detectives for PBS, broadcast, July 18, 2005 on national television
  • "John Rothmann Show" KGO Newstalk Radio AM 810, San Francisco, July 7, 2005 on Szyk Returning to Poland and upcoming TV special
  • "John Rothmann Show" KGO Newstalk Radio AM 810, San Francisco, July 4, 2004 on American Judaica: Highlighting 350 Years of Jews in the United States
  • "The Phil Blazer Show" KSCI-TV-Channel 18, Los Angeles; WMBC-Channel 63, New York and vicinity; WAMI-Channel 69, Miami and South Florida, May 16, 2000, on Szyk
  • "John Rothmann Show" KGO Newstalk Radio AM 810, San Francisco, Jan 16, 2000, on Martin Luther King anniversary weekend and relation to Szyk's work
  • "Art Scene with Erika Funke" WVIA-FM, a National Public Radio affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA, Jan 8, 2000, on the Szyk exhibition at the University of Scranton Art Gallery
  • Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art (in process). Directed by Jim Ruxin, JKR Productions, Produced by Irvin Ungar/Historicana and Jim Ruxin, JKR Productions. 2006
  • Arthur Szyk: Illuminator. Marta TV in conjunction with Polish TV, released July 2005 for Polish TV in fall, 2005
  • Arthur Szyk's Earliest Cartoons. History Detectives for PBS, broadcast, July 18, 2005 on National television
Articles about Irvin Ungar
ARTHUR SZYK
  • "The Szyk Haggadah, Revived and Illuminated." The New York Sun, Gabriella Birkner, April 18, 2008
  • "The classic Szyk Haggadah becomes a model masterpiece of the Digital Age." (Los Angeles) Jewish Journal, Tom Tugend, April 18, 2008
  • "Szyk Haggadah Goes High-Tech." (New York) Jewish Week, Sandee Brawarsky, April 16, 2008
  • "Drawing on Experience." Jerusalem Post, Tom Tugend, April 11, 2008
  • "New Szyk Haggadah Going for $15,000." JTA, Tom Tugend, April 8, 2008
  • "Helping preserve art of freedom, Burlingame society keeping alive artist's illuminating work." San Mateo County Times, San Mateo, California, August 15, 2005
  • Exhibit of WWII artist on display in his native Poland by Carolyn Slutsky, JTA (July 25, 2005) and numerous publications throughout United States (August 4, 2005)
  • "Burlingame Judaica expert working to make Arthur Szyk famous again" by Joshua Brandt, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, Jan 21, 2000
  • "Irvin Ungar: Touching History" by Jerry Tallmer, Lifestyles Magazine, New York, Fall 1999
JUDAICA
  • "By the numbers, Burlingame man compiles catalogue with rare American Judaica" by Dan Pine, J. The Jewish news weekly of Northern California, November 12, 2004.
  • "Judaica - by the book" by David Bittner, Jewish Journal, Miami Florida, Jan 9, 1992
  • "Israel's history comes alive in antiquarian's documents" by Tamar Kaufman, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, May 8, 1992
  • "Vintage haggadot integrate story of state, Exodus" by Peggy Isaak Gluck, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, May 3, 1991
  • "Area dealer buys a rare Anne Frank signature" by Peggy Isaak Gluck, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, April 6, 1990
  • "Knowledge of Judaica prevents Ôfake' buys" by Peggy Isaak Gluck, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, March 3, 1989
  • "Rabbi's business is selling rarities" by Sandra Buarnett, San Mateo Times, CA, March 5, 1988
  • "Peninsula rabbi opens new antique Judaica business" by Peggy Isaak Gluck, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, Nov 20, 1987
  • "Rabbi Ungar maps out book dealing venture" by W. Thomas Tizard, Boutique & Villager, Burlingame, CA, Oct 21, 1987
  • "'Unity' Seminary planning national reunion in S.F." by Winston Pickett, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, Jan 9, 1987
  • "Rabbi makes Judaism real for tiny tots on Peninsula" by C.G. Grant, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, Nov 1, 1985
  • "Many rabbis blind to '1 Jewish people,' Chevra rabbi says" by Peggy Isaak Gluck, The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, San Francisco, June 7, 1985
AFFILIATIONS
  • Board Member and Curator, The Arthur Szyk Society, Feb 2000 - Present
  • Board President, The Arthur Szyk Society, Mar 1997 - Jan 2000
  • David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies Art & Letters Council, 2005-Present
  • Chairman, Alumni Conference, Academy for Jewish Religion, Jan 18-21, 1987
  • Member, ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America), 1991 - Present
  • Member, Alumni Association, Academy for Jewish Religion, 1974 - Present
  • Member, Northern California Board of Rabbis, 1980 - Present

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